Friday, March 6, 2015

making it through the remains of winter

It’s become obvious that my friends are
all very tired of winter and I’m right there with them. I’m ready for spring! I bet your Facebook page looks like mine. It’s
morphed over the past months, beginning with gorgeous snow photos and most
recently with pleas for relief from the cold temps and the seemingly unending
precipitation. Yes, it’s been a tough season here on the east coast and we’ve
got a bit farther to go before the warmer season takes hold.

Here are a few suggestions to
consider, ways to distract yourself, take care of yourself, and to ease our way
through the remains of this crazy, tedious winter.

Be kind to yourself. It’s been a
long slog, you’ve been inside more than you’d like and you may be getting a bit
stir-crazy. Don’t get down on yourself and don’t start beating yourself up with
the shoulds and oughts that are likely creeping into your thoughts. Pay attention
to your self-talk and turn any negative thoughts around. Be as nice to yourself
as you would be to a friend or loved one. Maybe write down a positive thought
or two and post them on the fridge or bathroom mirror where you can see them
throughout the day.

Move! Take the stairs, put on some
music and dance around your livingroom, take advantage of the daylight and
temperatures of late afternoon and get outside for a walk with the dog or to
take a few short minutes to begin that winter yard clean-up.Explore yoga, go bowling with friends, find an indoor pool, stretch, bend, breathe
deep. Do any little thing that will work those muscles and get your heart
pumping. A little bit of movement will
pay off in a big way. It’s not only great for you physically but will have
positive impact on your peace of mind, well-being and chip away at lingering
anxiety.You’re going to feel better!

Get out there and enjoy live, local
music. No kidding, music is good for the soul. I know it’s cold but once you
get to the venue it’s going to be nice and warm. Better yet, arrange to meet
friends there. Move, dance, talk, eat, drink, sing, enjoy. It’s the perfect
therapy for a cold winter night!

Indulge yourself. Allow yourself the
gift of an afternoon nap. Spend some time browsing your favorite blogs, doing
some crafting, calling a friend, watching a movie. Distraction and downtime are
good for you and break up your usual routine in a good way. To relax is to
refresh and recharge.

If you’re not doing it already,
begin writing. Set aside 10 minutes a day to sit quietly and write…about
anything. Put your thoughts to paper, journal your activities, make lists, find
and document things that you’re grateful for. You’ll be clearing the cobwebs in
your mind while at the same time stimulating your creative juices. The bonus is
that one day you’ll be able to look back at your work and enjoy what you’ve
done and the memories you’ve documented.

Refresh your menu! We’ve all been
enjoying comfort food during these cold months.This is a good time to try out a new soup, stew or chili recipe and
there are lots of on-line resources for you to search through. Try something
different: a new taste palate, a new ingredient. Wake up your senses and try
something new. This is also a great time to start increasing the amount of veggies
and fruits into your daily meals. We’re heading towards spring/summer months
when we’ll be eating lighter so start adding these fresh foods now. Your body
will thank you.

Do something nice for someone else.
The simple act of doing for someone else takes you out of yourself for a while
and changes your focus. You both will benefit. Better yet, make your generosity
or act of kindness anonymous. I recently secretly paid for someone’s order at
our local coffeeshop and they had no idea. It made me feel great and the big
bonus was that the recipient in turn secretly paid for someone’s breakfast
order at her next stop. Double great! She felt good about being both the
receiver and giver of gifts that day. A chain of kindness was born that
morning. Try it…you’ll like the feeling!

Look
back. Pull out your old family photo albums. How often do you take the time to
sit down and look through those photos and relive the good-old-days? Seeing
photos of your kids when they were small, photos taken while you and your
spouse were dating, seeing photos of family members far away or long gone will
take you away. This precious time is sure to bring a smile to your face and
warm your heart.

Focus
on making your home more cheerful during these cold months. Bake up some
homemade bread or cookies and fill your home with soothing aroma. Turn on some
music and fill your space with calming background melodies. Turn on lights,
open the curtains, light some candles, put a fire in the fireplace…anything to
bring some extra light inside. It’ll make all the difference.

So
take heart. Warmer days are on their way and at some point you can look back at
those lovely snowy photos on your Facebook page and know you made it through
the tough 2014/2015 season with style, grace and creativity.